Courage, Faith and Choices
by CynicAlb
Summary: The planet was uncharted the first few MALP’S we sent didn’t make it to the other side. They were simply lost. After the incident in the gate room I wasn’t so sure, Dr Jackson hadn’t gone the way of those early probes. COMPLETE!
1. Watch that first step

A/N For those of you who have already started reading this I've separated the original chapter one into two parts. It seemed a little much for the long story I have in mind. The story is the same though not to worry.

This is my very first completed story, I hope you like it.

* * *

Courage, Faith and Choices

_Excerpt from the official report of Col. Jonathan O'Neill:_

_The planet was uncharted the first few MALP'S we sent didn't make it to the other side. They were simply lost. After the incident in the gate room I wasn't so sure, Dr Jackson hadn't gone the way of those early probes._

Daniel Jackson stood in front of the open Stargate, even after so long working at the SGC he still marveled at the simple reality of what stood in front of him. A single step would take him across the galaxy in seconds and he would never find that any less than extraordinary.

A few feet from him the MALP trundled up the ramp ready to visit the next planet on the list and when Jackson stepped back to let it pass a small screwdriver rolled off the device unnoticed on to the ramp. Colonel Jack O'Neill came trotting into the 'gate room just as the MALP disappeared through the event horizon.

"Hey Daniel what's going on?" Daniel shrugged and was about to say something but as he began to walk down the ramp he stepped onto the screwdriver and lost his balance. His face contorted as he fell backwards.

"Jack!" his yell of surprise was stifled as he was engulfed by the event horizon. Jack raced up the ramp and was about to dive through after his friend but the wormhole destabilized and was gone. General Hammond came running into the gate room.

"Colonel O'Neill what just happen?"

"Daniel just fell through the gate sir; he has no equipment and no GDO, permission to go after him sir?"

"Granted; have your team ready to go ASAP."

"General Hammond, sir?" The Sgt. in the control room spoke through the microphone; "You should see this."

Jack sat with the rest of his team in the briefing room staring at the MALP footage in disbelief. At first it seemed fine, there was a view of a beautiful seascape, a forest below and mountains in the distance, but after a few seconds it all went horribly wrong. The image tipped forwards and the rocks below began to accelerate towards the camera. The MALP rotated as it fell and just before the feed was cut the image of a man falling out of the Stargate could be seen, the Stargate itself was perched precariously on top of a cliff.

"We have to go after him!" cried Samantha Carter as the video turned to snow. "He's probably badly hurt."

"Or worse," said the Colonel under his breath.

"I concur," said Teal'c "We must pursue Daniel Jackson to this planet to determine his fate."

"I care about Doctor Jackson too, but how are you going to get to him if the gate is on the edge of a cliff?"

"We can repel through the gate sir." said Sam hurriedly, not wanting to waste time as her friend was in danger, or worse. "We can tether ourselves here and throw ropes down the cliff on the other side."

"But how will you get back?"

"We can take a Naquada generator with us and dial the gate manually; once the gate is open we can edge around to go through, the MALP was stable for the first few seconds sir suggesting there is a small ledge on that side of the gate."

"Very well Major, make your preparations you leave in an hour."

Daniel felt everything in slow motion, from the moment he stepped on that screwdriver; it was as if the world slowed, so those seconds it took him to fall felt like hours. He tried to call Jack, as he was falling. The older man's face fell in shock as it was obscured by the brightness of the event horizon. Daniel felt the air as he passed through the other gate, relieved to find it breathable, as this had been their first successful connection with this world. His next thought was as his stomach dropped and so did he, quite surprised not to find land on the other side of the gate only a sharp drop into a raging ocean before a large rock took away his fears of drowning.

Nita was gathering shells on the sea shore, trying to pick out the best ones to make her wedding necklace, but her search was cut short at the sight of the body being battered by the out going surf. The man wore strange clothes she had never seen before and it looked like he'd been in the ocean for some time his lips were blue and he wasn't moving. A gash of red cut across the man's forehead it was quite deep and as Nita put her hand to it a small groan escape his mouth. He was alive!

Carter had three men at the base of the ramp to tether them as they gated down to the cliff. Teal'c, Jack and Sam all stood with their backs to the gate. They wore large backpacks of equipment with weapons strapped on top. With a go from Hammond they carefully backed up into the event horizon. Through the gate Sam felt solid ground, but almost lost her balance when Colonel O'Neill appeared besides her. He held her steady and when the gate disengaged their ropes cut and they were able to walk through the empty ring to solid ground.

They dumped their stuff and Carter began to take readings. Jack walked back to the edge of the cliff and looked down. Large amounts of the cliff had fallen into the depths but what was left; rocks sharp and protruding, held little hope for Daniel's survival if he'd hit them. In the distance Jack could see a small fishing village judging by the pier set-up in the cove nearby.

"Looks like there are locals." said Jack gesturing to the village. Sam came up beside him.

"Maybe they saw Daniel fall." Jack looked doubtful.

"Doesn't look like they come up here too often." Sam shrugged.

"Can't hurt to ask."

"Fine, Hammond is going to send SG-5 through to set up base camp in about ten minutes we'll leave them here and see if we can find a better way down."

Daniel's first thought upon waking was of pain. He opened his eyes slowly but the light just flooded in feeling like a knife in his face, slicing across his vision. He groaned and turned over, shielding his eyes from the light. Then from close by he heard a voice, a woman, whispering.

"He's awake, quickly go tend to him." There was some shuffling of feet and a girl appeared in the doorway. She looked barely sixteen, long blond braids flowed down her shoulders and the ragged clothes she wore did nothing to hide what Daniel could tell was a flawless tan. Her eyes stood out the most though like shimmering pools of molten silver, almost like an open gate.

"Hello," He said groggily.

"You are awake," she said happily.

"So it seems what happened?"

"You do not remember?"

"No I think I hit my head," he raised his hand and for the first time he noticed a poultice on his forehead. She hurried to him.

"Are you in pain? "

"Headache," he said. "But nothing else really…" Daniel paused to consider this; he remembered falling, really falling. "I can't feel much of anything." He said feeling the panic rise in his throat. He felt his head, and his left hand, but everything else was kind of numb, he was aware of his other limbs, but couldn't seem to get them to move under his control. The girl saw his panic and sought to comfort him.

"It is okay, the feeling will come back, you were quite badly hurt, and we had to take the pain so you could sleep. You do not remember coming to the house with me?" Daniel shook his head, but decided that wasn't very helpful to his headache. "I am Kita; I'm helping you get better." As if to demonstrate her intent, she pulled back the covers and showed him his legs. They were, as was his right arm covered and tied with leaves. "You see?" she said, "They will be better in no time." Daniel couldn't think of anything to say as the pounding in his head became worse and he fell unconscious once more.

Jack and Sam scouted the surrounding area while Teal'c waited by the gate for SG-5. Sam had already rigged up the naquada generator and they'd dialed out a report to Hammond. Jack walked up to the furthest most edge and kicked a rock over the side.

"Looks like we're in for the long way down." said Jack watching as his pebble skipped along the side of the cliff.

"It doesn't look like this is a huge tourist spot." Carter cast a wary glance over the edge. "If Daniel's hurt sir we're going to have to rig something to carry him up in."

"We'll figure something out. But first we need find him." Sam nodded and looked over in the direction of the gate.

"Here's Teal'c I vote you be the one to tell him we have to climb down that." Jack grimaced and walked up to meet his friend.

Two hours later, O'Neill looked up at the sheer cliff he'd just descended.

"I'm getting too old for this crap." He sighed collected his gear and began to trek after his team up the beach.

"We should head for the village." Said Sam gesturing up ahead, "If Daniel survived the fall he'll still be injured and we can assume he'd head towards people." Jack nodded it was Daniel's custom to seek out the locals of whatever planet they were on, come to think of it, thought Jack that was half Daniel's problem; he was too trusting.

Daniel lay stiffly in bed, warily taking in his surroundings, most everything in and including the house was made of a kind of bamboo or reed tied and cut to shape. He stared around at the room in which he was trapped. Though all the doors and windows were spread wide, the wounds on his legs and arm kept him where he lay for the moment at least.

In between waking nightmares and the pain that came and went Daniel cast a thought to his future. He had no GDO, no way of sending a message through the iris; these people were barely farmers, they didn't have the technology to help him, he was stuck. Yet hope persisted,

'_Jack will come he has to he saw me fall they know I'm here.'_

In despair sometimes that little nag of doubt would raise a voice to his mind.

'_They saw you fall into unknown territory, they probably figured out it was on a cliff from the MALP telemetry. You fell off a cliff into an ocean, chances of survival are slim they've left you for dead, Danny boy!' _

It was Jack's voice in his head now,

"_Now don't you wish you'd come fishing with me just once?" _

Daniel groaned in his delirium. He had been in and out of consciousness since Kita brought him to the house.

"He grows weaker, mama." said Kita, as she cut more herbs for Daniel's wounds. An old woman sat in what served as their kitchen at a wicker table sewing the holes in Daniel's clothes.

"But his wounds improve." The woman spoke warily.

"Yes." Sadly Kita bowed her head to blink away her tears.

"Then he has the sickness."

"I know mama," said Kita grinding the herbs in a mortar.

"You must take him tomorrow." The old woman snapped the thread resolutely.

It took the remainder of SG-1 two days to reach the small village, but by then Daniel was gone.

"I have seen the stranger." the old woman, Kita's mother, said, when they knocked on the door to her hut. "My daughter took him to the temple so he can prepare for the way beyond."

"Is he alright?" asked Sam not liking the sound of that.

"Kita found him on the beach after the storm, we thought him ship wrecked. His wounds were bad, but Kita did a good job and he is healed." Sam let out a breath at least he was alive. But Jack felt the hairs on his neck stand on end.

"Why does he have to prepare for the here-after; if his wounds are healed?"

"His wounds healed, but he has the sickness."

"Sickness?"

"Yes, the fire within him burns hot and he sees people who are not there, he hears them and speaks to them as though they were."

"That doesn't sound good. Is there a cure?" The old woman shook her head sadly.

"There is not, Kita was most grieved, he would have made her a fine husband had he lived."

"But you just said he's not dead yet!" cried Sam.

"No, but by the rise of the full moon in three nights time he will be." She shook her head again clearly grieved and was about to close the door on them, when Jack put his foot in the jam.

"Wait, where's this temple? We might be able to help him."

"It is in the north a day's hike from here," she pointed up to the forest the village sat on the edge of in the higher elevation it was easy to see a huge structure in the distance. With that she closed the door in their faces.

Daniel felt great. In fact he hadn't felt this good since he was on the up swing of his sarcophagus addiction.

"_That turned out so well didn't it Danny boy."_

"Don't be an ass Jack," murmured Daniel to the empty chair at his bedside. "I'm not in the mood for your shit. If it weren't for you I wouldn't be here."

"_How's that space-monkey?"_

"Don't call me that Jack, you know I hate it."

"_Hey, don't tell me tell yourself."_

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"_You do know I'm not real right?"_ Daniel sat up and stared at the chair, having lost his glasses in the fall everything around him was rather blurry, but looking over at Jack he noticed he was a perfect image, sharply in focus. _"You know I'm just some random image rattling around in that oversized brain of yours."_

"Yeah, I know Jack."

"_Then why are we or rather you having this conversation with yourself?"_

"Because I'm dying Jack."

"_How's that? You were just marveling at how great you feel."_

"It's the drugs Jack." Daniel held out his arm for the chair to see the lines of needle marks. Jack whistled.

"_No wonder you were comparing it to your sarcophagus addiction."_

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing."

"_So what makes you so sure you're dying?"_

"Look around everyone here is dying." He glanced at the other beds in the makeshift hospital. Cots were lining the long corridor of what might have been a Goa'uld palace. The men in the beds were all in a similar state to Daniel, twitching nervously murmuring in delirium.

"_Yeah but you're not as bad as them."_ Shrugged Jack from his empty chair.

"Oh I know, I've got insomnia, I've got nightmares when I do sleep, and I've got a fever so high you could fry an egg on my forehead. And for the finale I'm hallucinating my best friend." Jack cast his friend a wary look.

"_You do look like shit," _he said succinctly, _"But when haven't you had insomnia and nightmares?"_

"Not like this Jack, last night I woke up screaming because I was so sure someone had put a Goa'uld in my bed. You didn't say anything about my hallucinations."

"_Well, I hate to tell you this Danny, but I've known you were nuts for a long time. Even before they threw you into that white padded room."_

"Hey!" he pushed out at the chair playfully, but fell back exhausted with the effort. A nurse came over to him she patted him gently taking his pulse feeling his forehead. She shook her head and walked over to a doctor. Tending the patient on Daniel's left. They talked for a moment, in hushed tones, but when the doctor glanced over at Daniel and said quite clearly.

"One more day." Daniel knew he was not going to get any better.


	2. Old Gods and False Gods

* * *

Jack, Sam and Teal'c made their way up the hill by the shore. The ground was thick with vegetation, but it was unusual in that the trees weren't very large and the slope was so even almost uniform in its assent.

"We should be there by night fall sir." said Sam sliding a little bit on the damp soil. O'Neill nodded and they pressed on, up what remained of the slope.

The moon rose high as night fell like a dark cloth over the sky. Daniel lay unconscious in his cot completely oblivious to the conversation going on a few feet from his bed.

"One more day," said the doctor, "And his fever will break, then we'll never know what we need to know."

"Why is this one so much more important than the others?" the nurse glanced back at the man, he was an unimpressive specimen, not short but thin, and ungainly, not like the others that were brought into her care those were real men. Most of the others held the disease for much longer without falling so ill so fast.

"He is not of us." said the doctor interrupting her musings.

"What do you mean?" she asked looking up at her superior.

"He fell from the great ring at the top of the cliff and more have followed him."

"But how could he have survived such a fall?"

"I do not know, but we must find out why he has come and if he brings news from the gods." The nurse looked up in shock.

"Th—the gods? You can't think they would come back? Not after so long, it's been three generations!"

"The writings in the temple where we make our medicine tell of a day when Ra will return."

"But if he is of the gods why is he ill?"

"He is a test. To see if we still worship the gods of old."

"But in his sleep, he does not speak of Ra or any of our gods."

"Then who does he speak to in the darkest corner of his mind?"

"Jack."

"Who is Jack?"

"I do not know, but he speaks to him often as if he were sat by his bedside."

"Jack must be the god he serves; he's come to see if we will bow before another." The nurse doubted this logic having heard the man's conversations with 'Jack' and presuming him to be a friend and source of comfort. But knowing the stubborn nature of the doctor and his temper when questioned she kept these thoughts to herself.

"But what do we do about his friends that come and what of the girl Kita that brought him? She waits to see him die."

"Give him the G-sinko root tonight, by morning he will look dead we can show Kita and his friends. Then we may revive him and ask him what we need to know."

"What of his friends, will we let them go?"

"No, they cannot be allowed to leave through the great ring, and warn their god Jack."

"Warn him of what?" asked the nurse unable to help herself.

"Warn him that we are free of gods, but unable to defend ourselves."

"Of course," said the nurse trying hard to keep the sarcasm from her voice. "So what do we do about them?" the doctor thought for a moment.

"We'll send the Krackton after them." The nurse gasped in horror.

"But that's barbaric!"

"It's the only way to ensure we stay safe from the gods." The nurse nodded a little pale. "Now give him the G-sinko it will take most of the night to work." With that the doctor was gone up the ward checking patients at intervals.

Jack heaved a sigh of relief as he saw the temple door looming a few hundred yards away. Sam and Teal'c were a few seconds behind and they all walked gratefully along the level path to the door. Jack slammed the huge knocker a couple of times, and waited. After a few moments quiet footsteps could be heard coming towards them, then a small window in the door slid open. Eyes peered out at them.

"Yes?"

"We're here to see someone." Said Jack.

"No visitors allowed."

"We're not asking." said Jack baring his weapon. The eyes visibly sighed and they could hear grinding as a lock was pulled back and the door was pulled open. A small woman appeared at the door and from her dress Jack figured she was either a nun or a nurse.

"You are here for the stranger," she said quietly. "One who was dressed as you are." It was a statement not a question. She turned to walk down the corridor clearly expecting them to follow her. They acquiesced and filed in walking down the long hall until they reached a door.

"Sir I think this may have been home to a Gould once." said Carter examining the walls.

"Looks like who ever it was vacated," Said Jack. "But stay sharp, just in case." They walked through the door into a large chamber. There were cots lining each wall and people tending to them. Most writhed in pain others simply lay still staring sweat soaking their faces and covers.

"Where's Daniel?" asked Jack looking around.

"Through here." said the nurse motioning to a room at the back. "We had to move him before he disturbed the others." Not liking the sound of that one bit the team followed the nurse into the back room. The lighting was dim in this part of the temple only a small window high in the wall shed the little light that was left of the day. The nurse lit a candle and carried over to the single cot near the wall. Daniel lay there writhing in pain. His eyes closed Jack was sure he was dreaming. He sat in the chair by the bed and put a hand on Daniel's shoulder to calm him.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Sam stricken.

"He is in the final stages of the illness."

"What is this illness?"

"It is an affliction of our men," said the nurse. "Most get in their middle years." She glanced at Daniel. "He is young, but it's not unusual."

"Is there a cure?" She shook her head.

"We only treat the pain, one in three survives, but I fear your friend will not be among them." She looked down on Daniel with pity, patted his arm and left. "He will be released by morning." She told Jack and left. Jack waited until the door shut behind her then lent over Daniel.

"Daniel," he whispered shaking him. "Daniel, wake up time to go." Daniel's eyes fluttered open he squinted in the dimness and lack of glasses. Sam reached into one of the pockets on her vest and retrieved a pair of glasses. Jack help Daniel put them on and as he tried to focus, he saw Jack and looked almost disappointed.

"Hey Jack" he said sitting up a little. He seemed almost normal, if it weren't for the visible strain on his face, Jack would have been annoyed at the nonchalant greeting.

"What's up Daniel?"

"Nothing much," yawned the man clearly exhausted. "I thought I'd break my hattrick."

"What hattrick?"

"I've already died three times; four's got to be a record." He smiled thinly and began to cough, uncontrollably. "Though I don't think I'll be coming back for number five." He rasped hoarsely. Jack looked at him concerned. "I wonder where you are right now." He said suddenly.

"Me?" said Jack "I'm right here." Daniel smiled again without mirth.

"No, I mean the real you."

"He thinks he's hallucinating sir." said Sam sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, Sam now all we need is Teal'c and then the whole gang is here."

"I am here, Daniel Jackson." Daniel squinted as the Jaffa stepped forward. Daniel smiled.

"Now you're all here," he emphasized 'here' to remind them that he didn't think they really were there. "I can die, knowing that you came to save me." He lay back considering this. "I wonder where you really are though." He blinked back tears as he sunk back under the covers.

"Daniel!" cried Jack grabbing Daniel's face. "We are here, this is real; **we** are real. You are not going to die." He released the man's face. Daniel didn't move he just sat starring at his friends.

"I wish I wasn't such a klutz." He said suddenly, rubbing tired eyes beneath his glasses.

"You and me both." smiled Jack giving his arm squeeze. Daniel winced at the pressure and Jack felt instantly sorry as Daniel rolled up the sleeve on the nightgown they'd given him to reveal the litany of needle marks scrawled there.

"God, Daniel." said Sam in disbelief. "What have they done to you?" Daniel sighed exhausted by the effort of moving and speaking. "You okay?" Daniel nodded unconvincingly as his eyes rolled back and he fell into unconsciousness. None of them noticed the nurse standing by the crack in the door.

The nurse hurried back through the ward beckoning the doctor as she went they stepped into a side room filled with medical equipment.

"You were wrong!" cried the nurse in distress.

"How?"

"You said the stranger's god was Jack, but Jack is his companion, I've taken the three to his bedside. They support him and tell him not to be sure of his death. I'm not sure if it's the illness but he told them he's already, died three times!"

"He is truly a marvel, but what makes you think this Jack is not a god if he can tell the stranger not to fear death?"

"They talk as equals, not as God and servant. Though the woman is subservient to Jack she also sees the stranger as an equal. It is strange."

"Indeed, but why are you so upset?"

"I fear retribution for my part in this deception."

"If you say Jack is not a god then how can there be retribution?"

"The woman, she referred to the stranger as God Daniel." The doctor took a sharp intake of breath and stood in shock.

"It would make sense, if he claims to have died, and returned who else would have this power?" The woman shook her head.

"It makes no sense, if the stranger is the god, how is he sick? Gods do not ail!"

"But how was he to speak with them at all? Did you give him the G-sinko root as I ordered?"

"Yes, but he fights its effects; he is not of our world, it may take longer for it to work." The nurse looked at her colleague in his rant and the first spark of real disbelief lodged itself in her mind.

"His companions will likely want to return him to the great ring." Mused the Doctor.

"But he cannot be moved!" cried the nurse in horror. "G-sinko is only reversible if the infected remains still when his body shuts down."

"We must stop them from leaving to tell their armies we are unarmed."

"But won't whoever sent them send more if they do not return?"

"We will send their bodies as a message, a warning to whatever gods lie on the other side." The nurse nodded now completely sure the doctor was wrong, but not in any position to help. She hurried, through the ward and to the door that led to the back room. She paused; waiting for voices but all that could be heard were the labored gasped of the stranger in his sleep. She noticed the doctor coming down the row and made a show of turning the key in the lock. The doctor nodded to her and returned to his work.

Daniel slept, but not well as Jack watched his friend squirm in a familiar nightmare.

"Something must survive," he mumbled fighting invisible arms that held him back. Jack put a hand on his friend's chest to calm him, feeling the heat pulsing against his palm. Sam wandered around the room in discomfort. Teal'c stood watch over all three of them. Sam paused by the door her hand on the knob.

"Sir, we've got a problem here."

"No kidding, Carter." said Jack not looking up from Daniel's bed.

"Not that sir, we're locked in." she demonstrated this by trying the doorknob. Jack buried his face in his hands in disbelief. "The door's not that heavy sir we could blow it, but we'd risk hurting those men on the other side."

"Obviously, we've stayed here too long, let's start looking for other ways out." Teal'c and Sam began to wander around the room feeling the walls for hidden doorways and traps. Jack began to pack up the stuff they'd taken out to help Daniel. Then as carefully as he could Jack, dressed the sleeping archeologist in a jumpsuit and tied boots on his feet. "I don't know about you guys, but Daniel and I are ready to ditch this place." Sam smiled tightly and was just about to give up when the back wall of the room slid open. "Alright, Carter!" O'Neill gave her an air high five. Carter just shrugged.

"Wasn't me, sir." Just then a light appeared in the tunnel coming close to them and the figure of a woman came into view up the tunnel in the wall.

"Quickly, you're in danger, you must come." Said the nurse; She turned to go but Jack stopped her.

"What's the deal? Why are we locked in?"

"The doctor he is obsessed with the old gods, he saw your friend fall through the great ring, and he believes you were sent by new gods who wish to claim this planet as their own." Jack stared at her. "Come quickly before he notices I've left." At that she turned down the corridor and walked at a brisk pace until her light was growing dim in the distance.

Jack shrugged and heaved his pack to his back. Without even a word Teal'c leaned over the prone figure of Daniel and gathered the unconscious man into his arms and began to walk down the narrow passage. Carter grabbed the candle off the bedside and followed, O'Neill brought up the rear.

They walked for a long time, Teal'c hunched in the low space, and under the weight of his charge.

"This must have been built by the original Goa'uld who ruled here," whispered Carter, "An escape tunnel, to a ship maybe." She mused holding the light up to the walls in awe.

"That's great Carter let's keep it moving." They proceeded in silence for what seemed like miles of underground passageways. Eventually, the narrow tunnel opened up into a large cavern, lit with a few torches around the edges. It may have once been a great hall, with lavish decoration and adornments, but a few hundred years of neglect had rotten away the tapestries and tarnished the gold edging of the marble, that lined the hall the whole effect was cold and forbidding. The nurse abandoned her light and motioned to Teal'c to bring Daniel over to a pile of rags and blankets arranged in the corner. The Jaffa laid the man where she gestured and she shooed him to check his vitals and make him comfortable.

"The change is upon him." She muttered grimly. Jack held up a hand, walking over to the woman.

"Excuse me? The change?" His tone was light, with just the edge of a threat.

"The illness," she told them. "The last stage is The Change when all the body shuts down and is as if dead."

"The Change is dead?" stared O'Neill. "That's new one."

"Colonel, she said as if." motioned Carter.

"That's right," said the woman in a very matronly way. "The Change imitates death, but is merely hibernation as the body adjusts."

"Adjust to what?"

"To its new life."

"New life as **what**?" asked the Colonel a little perturbed.

"As a Jaffa." Said Teal'c

"What!" cried Sam kneeling by Daniel's side. "How is that possible? I thought Jaffa were made using that weird gould device Hathor had strapped to herself."

"It was," Said Teal'c "But converting one at a time was ineffective, so biological agents were created when the technology was scavenged from another culture."

"But that makes no sense." reasoned Jack.

"Actually, sir it does, if a planet is too strong to attack in ships it would make sense to incapacitate its military age population and make them dependant on you for a cure."

"How long do we have?" Jack asked the nurse. Sam leaned over and pulled open the jumpsuit Jack had dressed Daniel in she pulled the zip down to his waist and them pulled up the T-shirt beneath.

"Not long." said Sam gesturing to the beginnings of pouch now evident on Daniel's stomach. Jack stepped over to look.

"Oh, crap." He said grinding the heels of his hands into his eyes. "Is there a cure?" the nurse shook her head.

"But there is a chance." She said carefully.

"How much of a chance?"

"As I said one in three survives. But he has other matters." She said quietly.

"Other matters?" questioned Jack staring at the woman avoiding his gaze.

"He has been poisoned."

"What?" Jack and Sam cried together.

"I had to," sobbed the nurse, "the doctor insisted so we could know of his plans for our world."

"How was he gonna do that, if he's dead?"

"The Change mimics death," she said quickly "G-sinko speeds and intensifies the change and will eventually kill." She paused looking at the horror on their faces, surely if this man were a god they would not act so she thought. "But there is a cure." She continued quickly. She handed Sam a small vial, "You have a method of giving this into the blood?" she asked Sam nodded. "It is fastest in the blood, half when his heart no longer shows a rhythm and the last as his hands become cold. If you cannot give it to his blood mix it with water and make sure he swallows the whole, but do not let him drink it straight then we will do more harm than good." Sam nodded, the woman went over to the wall and retrieved her light and started back down the tunnel.

"Wait!" called Sam, "How do we get out of here?" The nurse pointed to the far tunnel.

"A device lies in the vestibule if you know of the great ring then you can make it take you there." She turned to go once more but hesitated. "Do not move him until he's had the full dose, or there will be no bringing him back." With that she was gone a glow fading in the tunnel.

Daniel stirred in his sleep, but did not wake, a cry caught in his constricted throat and he began to seize. His body arched and shook Jack and Teal'c held him down trying to stop him from banging his head again the marble floor no pile of rags could soften. Sam was busy in the vestibule looking at the device the nurse had mentioned. It was a ring platform and a crystal control panel.

"Carter, get in here!" yelled Jack trying his best not to break his friend's ribs as he pinned him to the floor. Sam rushed in just in time to see Daniel's struggle cease. He lay limp under his teammate's arms. Sam slid down next to them. She felt for a pulse but didn't find one.

"This is it sir his heart's stopped." Said Carter dipping a syringe into the vial the nurse had given her. She carefully filled it so that half the mixture was now in the shaft of the needle. "Grab his arm for me sir." She asked Jack and as he did so she sought a vein and plunged the needle in giving Daniel the full dose. Jack carefully laid him back down and covered him with a blanket. "Don't move him now sir," said Carter. "She said if we move him before he's had the whole dose he'll die."

"What's your progress on the ring device?" asked Jack in a whisper.

"It works sir the device is intact but I have no idea where they lead. For all I know we'd re-materialize upstairs with all those other men in the ward, or worse we could beam ourselves to the other side of the planet with no way of getting to the Stargate." Jack grimaced.

"It is possible, O'Neill that the rings lead to the Stargate as a means of escape should an enemy attack this fortress." Said Teal'c, Jack was surprised by this assertion and by the fact that the Jaffa had not said two words since his revelation about early Jaffa recruitment strategies.

"I didn't know Jaffa were optimists," he smiled at his friend.

"It was not an unlikely assertion, O'Neill, Goa'uld are notorious cowards, if this palace were over run it is most likely the ruler here would have fled to this cavern to hide until he could transport to the Stargate unnoticed." Jack looked at Sam.

"Makes sense sir." Sam shrugged.

"Good enough for me let's go."

"We can't sir." said Sam gesturing to the prone archeologist between them. Jack groaned.

"Let's get some rest then, Carter keep an eye on Daniel has soon as he's ready we're gone."

"You and Teal'c could go ahead sir and meet up with SG-5. I'll be up as soon as I can."

"No if we're wrong about where it leads I don't want to be separated." Sam nodded turning back to Daniel. She felt his head and though she still felt only a slight pulse he was burning up.

"This might take a while sir he's running a fever." Jack nodded.

"Try and get some rest I'll take first watch, as soon as he's had the second dose we carry him out."

"We have another problem, sir." Carter broached carefully, "The medicine will only stop the poison not the disease, sir Daniel's turning into a Jaffa and I have no way of stopping it."

"Teal'c," called Jack. "What can we expect from this chemical transformation?"

"I am not certain O'Neill each time it is different, most of the infected die it is true, the body rejects the change and shuts down, but those who survive have only hours before they contract an illness and without an immune system to combat it they die as well." He bowed his head in what might have been apology at not bringing hope to their ailing teammate.

"We'll just have to find him a snake." Jack grimaced.

"Given the difficulties we have encountered procuring one for study; I do not believe it wise to consider recovering one now will be of great ease."

"Not to mention the fact that Daniel would probably die before he accepted being dependent on a symbiote." Sam said mopping Daniel's face carefully with a damp cloth.

"I don't care," said Jack, "We're going to do everything to keep him alive until we can reverse the effects of this disease." Jack gritted his teeth and neither of his teammates questioned his resolve.

The nurse made her way back up to the temple and found Kita waiting at the door, as she had been doing every morning for the past few days. The nurse bowed her head as she let the girl in.

"I'm sorry, child your friend is dead," she told the girl. "We had to bury him this morning before the sun came up." The girl nodded having buried several family members she knew that burial was immediate in the summer to avoid the spread of insects and illnesses caused by rotting corpses. Still she was saddened by the news, she had enjoyed having someone to be concerned about besides her mother and he was such a nice man she wished she could have said good bye. Her mother was right; he would have made a fine husband if he'd lived.

Sg-5 were tired of waiting by the gate, Major Thomas, the team leader, knew all too well the kind of trouble, SG-1 could get into on a planned mission, but spur of the moment like this and a member in trouble… Thomas knew bad things were on the horizon even before he stepped through it on to this planet.

It had been over a day since O'Neill had radioed that they were going to a temple, someone in the village had taken Daniel to for his injuries. Major Carter warned they'd likely be out of radio contact. Thomas acknowledged and told them good luck. Now he was worried, but all he could do was wait.

* * *

Yes, cliffhangers are a bad habit of mine, but humor me:)

* * *


	3. The Change

Daniel's temperature dropped like a stone. One minute Sam was soaking him down with water to keep him cool the next, he was shivering so much she had to ask Jack and Teal'c hold him down. His lips and his nails were turning blue even as he tried to curl up for warmth. Sam prepared the second shot and her teammates did their best to hold him down. The liquid went in and had an immediate reaction, Daniel sprawled out stiff as a board unmoving his eyes closed, his chest barely moving with the shallow breaths. His face paled and his hands still cold, the only improvement from Sam's view was his lips were no longer blue.

"Right," said Jack as Sam checked Daniel over again. "Let's get him ready to move."

"Err, Colonel?" Sam called "You should see this." She had once again opened the jumpsuit, and now on Daniel's stomach there was the clear X of a Jaffa Symbiote pouch.

"Ah, shit!" Jack grimaced with a look at his friend's stomach. "Cover him up we're getting out of here now." With that Sam wrapped Daniel in a blanket and Teal'c lean forward to pick him up. "Get to those rings Carter now!" The Colonel was all business now, there was no time for sympathy or feelings they all knew Daniel had only a few hours for them to help him.

Major Thomas almost dropped his gun, when the ground beneath him began to glow. He dived out of the way just in time. The rings rose up from the ground and a group materialized inside them. SG-5 took up defensive positions, and eased only when they realized it was SG-1.

"Dial it up Major." Yelled the Colonel as the energy dissipated. "Dr Jackson needs immediate medical attention." Major Thomas didn't hesitate; he set the Naquada generator going and ordered his team to begin dialing.

"We rigged up a platform on the other side of the gate sir," he called "As soon as it's open we'll send the IDC through and signal for medical team to the gate room." Jack nodded he looked exhausted as did the rest of his team. Even Teal'c was looking a little gray especially considering the weight he held in his arms. The last chevron engaged and Thomas sent the signal. "Go ahead sir we'll pack up things here and follow you." Jack barely acknowledged him as they edged around the gate and walked through.

"Welcome, back SG-1." called Hammond from the control room.

"Sir we need a medical team here now!" cried Sam barely a foot on the ramp. Teal'c didn't pause he simply kept walking with is load toward the infirmary. Doctor Fraiser followed him trying to get a look at Daniel but knowing Teal'c wouldn't put him down until he was safe. But when he got to the infirmary he didn't stop he continued to an isolation room further down. He paused at the door.

"You must not enter here Doctor Frasier." Said Teal'c Doctor Frasier frowned.

"Teal'c I need to examine him…" she began but Teal'c uncharacteristically interrupted.

"If you begin to treat him before you are sterile you will most likely kill him."

"What?"

"Daniel Jackson is now a Jaffa, he has no immune system and any bacteria you carry will most definitely kill him." Teal'c continued into the room, Doctor Frasier stayed outside stunned. Sam caught up with her.

"Janet," she gasped surprised that the small woman had kept up with Teal'c's fast pace. "We need to isolate Daniel and keep him from getting infected with anything."

"Teal'c told me, Daniel's become a Jaffa, how is that possible?"

"It's a form of gould chemical warfare, a way of increasing their armies and taking over a world all in one. It must still have been in the atmosphere after the Gould decided it was time to leave."

"What about you and the Colonel have you been affected?"

"No I'm fine Teal'c said it only affects men aged 25 to 40."

"The Colonel escapes by the gray on his temples." Dr Frasier mused.

Six months earlier…

Daniel sat in his lab going over several translations that had been done wrong while he was away on a mission; he groaned as he crossed out the mistakes and rewrote what was so obvious to him. He looked down at what he'd written and was surprised by what he saw, he immediately called Teal'c and he showed the Jaffa what he'd found.

"It is a Jaffa holy book." said Teal'c looking over the text. Daniel smiled his excitement evident he was clearly very interested in a specific ritual.

"Look at this; it's a ceremony to cast out a symbiote." Teal'c cast a look at the passage.

"This is an old version," he told his friend. "It refers to a time before the Jaffa were born through procreation."

"Like what Hathor did to Jack?"

"Yes and other methods like it. The strongest and most fit warriors were chosen and changed."

"Into Jaffa?"

"Yes, but the change was unnatural many died, those who survived were given a gould lava to sustain them. Eventually enough were transformed that they began to have relationships and produce children, the gods encouraged this and thus the Jaffa nation was born."

"But the first ones, those that were transformed they were humans?"

"Indeed."

"Well what is this ritual about?"

"It speaks of a form of meditation a way to cast off the change and return to human form."

"Really? Would it work for someone who was born a Jaffa?"

"It would not, this was written before that time, but the words of the ritual are clear, to cast off the change it must not be ones natural state. I have always been a Jaffa." Daniel sat quietly for a moment at a loss for words. "Thank you Daniel Jackson."

"For what?" asked the archeologist surprised.

"For showing me this, it is a most interesting look at my people's history."

"Wish it could have helped you though." Said Daniel defeated.

"It has helped a great deal Daniel Jackson."

"How's that?"

"The fact that this ritual exists, shows that there were those among my people who questioned the gods from the beginning and it gives me renewed hope that one day they can be free." Daniel smiled at him.

"Me too."

Daniel was running a fever, and had been for three days.

"Status report Doctor?" asked General Hammond looking through the glass of the observation room over looking Daniel's bed.

"Same as yesterday sir." said Janet. "He's no better, but I can't say he's worse either. His body is in conflict, the illness has begun to change his body, as evidenced by the opening on his stomach, and although his white blood count is low it's there. He still has an immune system and it's putting up one hell of a fight."

"Is he is a coma?" Janet grimaced.

"Unfortunately no sir, he's very much aware of what's happening and he's in a great deal of pain, but I can't sedate him at the risk of lowering his defenses further."

"What are his chances?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, sir at this point it's a waiting game. Major Carter said that one in three men on the planet survive free and clear, now I don't know if that's due to some indigenous immunity or if it's genetic, but those are long odds sir."

"Not for Daniel." Neither Frasier, nor Hammond had heard Colonel O'Neill enter, but both regretted him hearing that conversation.

"Colonel…I"

"Save it Doc, I know." Jack let it go, because he knew how much not being able to help Daniel hurt her, he knew because he felt the same way and it was way too familiar a feeling for both of them. O'Neill stepped over to the window and looked down at his friend. A nurse dressed for surgery came in to check his vitals, she wore gloves and a mask as well as gown and head cover. They'd done their best to sterilize the room, but the damage had already been done. It hurt O'Neill not to be able to be by his friend's side, to deny them both the comfort of being there for him, in spite of his inability to help in any way.

"What about the Tok'Ra?" cried Jack in frustration, "or the Asgard, or the Nox? The Nox like Daniel they'd help."

"The Nox home world is off limits since they buried their gate, and we have no other means of contacting them." Teal'c's reply was succinct and swiftly met with a withering glance.

"The Tok'ra, can't help they say the toxin, introduced that caused the illness, was probably in the plants that were used to treat his initial injuries and not in the air as we first assumed. The first symptoms are fast healing of wounds; the people probably don't know this causes the illness in the first place. As for the Asgard they don't interfere in what they see as a natural occurrence."

"A natural occurrence?" Jack glared at Sam. "How is this natural?" He threw pages of ultra sounds down on the table. They depicted a newly formed organ in Daniel's abdomen, Teal'c had informed them it was a new gland that would provide nutrition and fluids to the almost completely formed symbiote pouch. Janet said that the slits would open soon, ready for the insertion of a larval gould that would not come.

Teal'c sat at the desk in the observation room, all three of them had been taking shifts to sit with Daniel, and talk to him during the brief moments he was awake, in spite of the pain.

"Teal'c?" the plaintiff call came from below.

"I am here Daniel Jackson."

"Teal'c it's time, I can feel it."

"I understand what is it that you wish of me?"

"Help me!" he cried his eyes wide with the pain. Teal'c's face fell as he looked upon his young friend.

"I will do what I can, but you must stay strong Daniel Jackson." With that he got up and left the observation room, he went down to his own quarters and retrieved supplies that he carried in a bag. He went down to the only door to the isolation room.

"Sir, you can't go in there." Teal'c tried to ignore the SF that was stationed at the door, but his insistence to do his job forced his hand. He turned back to the young man and opened his palm; he blew the dust there into his face. The guard coughed and looked surprised then he collapsed.

"What's going on sir?" Sam came rushing into the observation room to find General Hammond, Doctor Fraiser and Colonel O'Neill looking slightly grim. "Someone said Daniel flat lined!"

"He's not dead Sam," said Jack bluntly, "But if we don't get Teal'c out of there he might be soon."

"Teal'c?" she questioned completely confused. Her gaze darted to the window and sure enough there was Teal'c setting up candles in a circle next to Daniel's bed. "What's he doing?"

"Got me." said Jack.

"All we know is he drugged the guard outside, and locked the door from the inside. He's disconnected all of the machines monitoring Dr Jackson and that's what alerted Dr Fraiser and myself." said Hammond.

"It looked like he'd flat lined," said Janet "I rushed down here with a crash cart only to find an unconscious SF and a locked door."

"What's he doing?" asked Sam a second time.

"We don't know, when we asked all he says is this is Daniel's last chance." Janet looked out the window with concern. All other eyes drifted in the same direction.

Daniel felt like shit. He had never imagined being in so much pain yet for the time being he was able to bare it. He was only grateful Janet had let him wear scrubs rather than the traditional hospital gown. He sat cross-legged on the bed in the isolation room and watched Teal'c set up the candles carefully. Once he'd finished he stepped over them to where Daniel sat sweat dripping down his fever ridden features. Teal'c looked at him his face as inscrutable as ever.

"We must wait," he said after a moment.

"Why?" asked Daniel impatient to get the show on the road.

"The change is not yet complete."

"It feels pretty complete to me." said Daniel wiping his head of the moisture.

"Your body still fights, you must give yourself to what you are becoming completely."

"How do I do that?" he was going to faint he felt it the dizziness in his head, spots in front of his eyes.

"Daniel Jackson!" Teal'c gruff pronouncement brought him back.

"Thanks I needed that."

"Lie back." The Jaffa gently pushed Daniel flat onto the bed. "Close your eyes, Daniel Jackson and let it come." Teal'c spared a glance to those in the observation room. He bowed his head to them and turned back to Daniel. Daniel closed his eyes trying to relax every single muscle in his body. He realized that without knowing it he'd tensed himself completely holding back a part of himself from what was happening. He breathed slowly, in and out letting go of the resistance. Then it happened, a pinprick in his stomach that intensified to a stabbing pain, he bent double crying out more from surprise than anything else.

Daniel was on fire he could feel it someone had a stuck a candle in his pouch like a jack-o-lantern and it was burning him from the inside out. He had to get it out had to stop the pain. Frantically, Daniel pulled his shirt off and tore into the bandages that they had seen fit to cover what nobody wanted to see. He clawed and scraped at them desperate to get at what was beneath. Teal'c stood by and watched him silent until it was time. The last bandage came off and Daniel pulled off the padding placed across his pouch. He felt the air on it and it was an instant relief. Without knowing why he had to plunge his hand into the opening, because now it was truly open, and touch the newest part of what he had become.

Teal'c went to his friend as he discovered his new body.

"Is it over now?" asked Daniel he was holding out his hand covered in a yellow liquid and staring at what was now his. Teal'c nodded passing Daniel a cloth. Daniel was fascinated. "The pain is gone." He said suddenly surprised. "I feel, good," he said again surprise sounded in his voice. He stood up flexing his muscles. "Strong and powerful, is this how you feel everyday Teal'c?" He asked his natural curiosity returning full force.

"I am unsure Daniel Jackson, since I have felt the same since I was born." Daniel nodded, and then a shadow passed over his face.

"How long do I have?" Teal'c frowned considering.

"Jaffa children live without a primta for twelve years before implantation, but an adult Jaffa can only sustain himself for a few hours before an infection takes him." Daniel fingered his pouch.

"What does the ritual entail?"

"It is difficult to explain, there are three parts; Courage, Faith, and Choice."

"Well that doesn't sound too bad."

"It will be most arduous, Daniel Jackson are you sure you want to continue?"

"What are the chances of them finding a larval gould for me within the next three or four hours."

"Not good Daniel Jackson."

"And what are the chances of my surviving without one?"

"Also not good, Daniel Jackson."

"Then I don't have much of a choice do I?"

"It would seem not."

"Then let's get started." Teal'c bowed his head in assent.

"Please sit." He gestured to the circle of candles at their feet. Daniel did as he was told. Teal'c walked around the circle and lit the candles one by one. He carried incense with him and chanted in a low voice. Daniel closed his eyes and let the words and the scent from the candles and the incensewash over him.

* * *

Yes, I did it again but it's okay there's another chapter look... 


	4. Courage

"Daniel?" the voice came from the darkness, it was light a woman's, familiar and yet wrong. "Danny where are you Danny?"

"Mom?" No, that can't be right she's dead. Daniel looked up from where he was sitting. The bright light surprised him; he was sitting cross-legged on a bench. But where was he? Daniel looked around, glass cases, phosphorus lighting, no, that can't be!

"Danny? Where did you go?"

"I'm here." A woman came around the corner, she wore glasses like his but her hair was darker and she wore a colorful headscarf. She smiled when she saw him.

"There you are Danny; I've been looking for you." Daniel closed his eyes squeezing them shut. "Danny, what's wrong?" Daniel turned away from her covering his face with his hands. "Danny, what are you doing?" Daniel looked at her through his fingers.

"Hiding." He said.

"From what?" she asked moving his small hands from his face. Small hands? Somehow he'd thought they were bigger and how could he sit cross legged on this bench without falling off? He looked down at himself and saw the body of an eight-year-old. "Danny?" asked the woman again. She sounded worried this time. "What are you hiding from?"

"From you." He said quietly, a small voice to match the small him.

"Why are you hiding from me Danny?"

"Because you're not real." He told her.

"I'm not real?"

"No." whispered Daniel.

"Then what am I?"

"You're dead." He whispered burying himself in his hands and a long mop of hair.

"Daniel Jackson!" her voice was sharp. "Apologize at once."

"Sorry," said Daniel sullenly, I'm sorry you're dead; he thought but could not say.

"That's better." She held out a hand for him and reluctantly he took it. "What say we go out for an ice-cream?" The boy nodded not trusting himself to speak. The woman smiled. She led him out of the building that Daniel now knew was the New York Museum of Art. They walked slowly, but Daniel stumbled still unused to his new size. "Watch out there Danny." The boy smiled tears in his eyes. "What's wrong did you hurt yourself?" The concern showed in her eyes.

"I'm okay," he said sniffing back the tears; he'd long since learned to suppress those emotions out of sheer self preservation.

"No you are not Daniel Jackson." Daniel's head jerked up at the pronouncement it hadn't come from his mother or from anyone nearby and yet he knew that voice, and he understood what it meant, this was a test.

Jack stared down at his friends through the glass of the observation room window. Daniel was now completely a Jaffa, Teal'c had told him to let it happen and he did, Jack was astonished. Daniel gave up and now he wasn't even human. No, Jack shook his head that wasn't fair; he was still Daniel, wasn't he?

Jack watched as Daniel writhed in pain and Teal'c did nothing to help him. He pulled off his dressings and pierced the opening in his stomach. The image of this turned Jack inside out with nausea and guilt. If he hadn't distracted Daniel on the ramp he might not have fell and this whole mess could have been avoided. There's no use going over what ifs now O'Neill, he chided himself, what matters now is saving Daniel. Saving Daniel? How can I save him? He's a Jaffa now and he will die from an infection because there's no way to get him a symbiote in time and even if they could Jack wasn't at all sure Daniel would be okay with living out his life dependant on a gould. He knew he wouldn't accept it and in that state could he still be a member of SG-1? Jack had no problems but the pentagon might.

They seem to be performing a ceremony, thought Sam, a welcome for a new Jaffa? No, Teal'c told them it would help, but why did he lock them in if he was helping? He'd told Daniel to give up and Daniel had trusted him. Sam trusted Teal'c and Daniel was following his direction, but not to have asked for permission meant that whatever they were doing was dangerous. Sam pushed back that thought, what's more dangerous than letting Daniel die without an immune system? She was still mad, frustrated beyond reason, she wanted to help needed to be there for Daniel, but now all that seemed left to her and everyone else was to watch.

Teal'c sat in front of Daniel waiting for him to enter his quest, as soon as he began to speak to another; Teal'c knew his greatest fears would soon present themselves. He needed to warn his friend that he was in a dream state and he must hold out to continue, so when Daniel said he was okay, Teal'c took the opportunity to give him the only advice he could. After that there was nothing else he could do, Teal'c stood and walked over to the window and the waiting members of SG-1. He stood below them and said in a low voice.

"Daniel Jackson has asked me to help him in the ritual of Primtak it is his only chance to cast off the change that has over taken him."

"Teal'c you told him to let it happen." hissed Jack.

"The change must be complete to begin the ritual." Teal'c replied evenly.

"What's going to happen?" Frasier asked; eager to know the state of her patient.

"Daniel Jackson, will meditate for the next three days and nights, in that time he will have three visions and will need to pass the tests presented there."

"Tests?" questioned Sam.

"Tests of courage, faith and choice."

"How do you test choice?"

"Choice is most important, because choice is why the ritual was begun in the first place, a way to choose to be free, free from the gods and free from their slavery."

The assemblage was quiet for a moment, until Jack asked the question that was on all of their minds.

"What if he doesn't pass a test?"

"Then he will die."

Daniel Jackson knew the woman he was walking with wasn't real; he knew that he was having a dream, and that any moment now he would wake up alone in his apartment and grieving the loss all over again. He also knew that at this precise moment, at this time in this dream he didn't care as long as he could hold her and she was real for as long as he willed her to be.

"So Danny, how'd you like America so far?"

"It's okay." He mumbled beneath a huge ice-cream cone she'd bought for him.

"Only okay?"

"Yeah, it's not as good as home."

"Danny, this is home."

"'Snot." He told her. "Egypt is home."

"That's where we lived Danny, but this is where we're from."

"Not me. I'm from there, not here."

"Okay Daniel whatever you say." The boy looked at what remained of the ice cream and felt a little sick.

"I'm finished." He said handing the woman the sticky mess. "What are we doing today?" he asked her smiling as if to throw off the homesickness he felt.

"Daddy and I are going to build the temple in the museum today, you know that." She frowned and looked down at her watch. "In fact we'd better get going; your Dad wants us to be there when they unload the pieces from the crates." Daniel frowned he knew, what happened next he couldn't say why, but he had to try to stop it from happening.

"I don't want to." He said, "Let's just walk around for a while; let the workers set up the temple."

"It's the center piece to the exhibit Danny, your Dad and I have to help them set it up right."

"I know." he told her, defeated by destiny.

The box was small; he hadn't seen it before. "What's this?" he asked his mother as they sat overseeing the workers bring the pieces of the temple into the main exhibit room.

"I don't know," she frowned referring to the list of artifacts they'd brought for the exhibit. "It's not on the manifest. Let's have a look shall we?" she smiled and they scooted down off the crates they'd been sitting on and went towards the box. "Hey, can you help us with this?" she called to one of the interns, a pretty young woman with wavy blond hair. She turned and smiled at Daniel. "Hey Daniel, long-time no see!" Sarah smiled at him in delight as she helped his mother with the box. "What is it?" she asked.

"We don't know." They tried to pry the lid off but it wouldn't budge.

"Hey, Sam." Called Sarah, to a young woman with short-cropped hair, she was talking with one of the movers about the huge ring they were rolling in but she turned when she heard the call. Daniel stared at Sam as she approached their little crowd.

"What are you doing here?" he asked without thinking.

"Daniel, don't be so rude! Sam's here to help us she's very smart like you." Daniel's mother patted Sam on the arm and she kneeled down to get a better look at the box.

"But this is wrong," he told them "you're not supposed to be here."

"Of course we are Daniel; we're all here for you." Daniel stared in disbelief, at the three women arranged around the box.

"Ladies, Daniel,"

"Jack!" cried the women smiling,

"And you brought a crowbar how useful." Daniel's mother smiled.

"Hey, anything for old Danny boy here, don't know what I'd do without him." Jack messed up Daniel's hair affectionately. Sam busily began prying the lid off with Jack's crowbar. "Watch out Carter, I don't want you to strain something."

"Almost-got-it," she heaved, and just as the lid came loose a blast of energy hit her full in the chest. She gasped in surprise and fell into a slump just as another blast took out Jack. A jaffa had come through the huge ring one of the movers was holding and was firing a staff weapon at the assembly near the crates. He didn't wear a helmet though his face was obscured Daniel cried out as another blast caught a fleeing Sarah in the back and another ricocheted off the temple exhibit causing it to fall onto of Daniel's parents who were hiding there.

"This is wrong!" cried Daniel screwing up his eight year old hands in to fists and running full tilt towards the Jaffa he was caught in his grasp struggling to break free. "This isn't how it happened!"

"Don't worry," said the Jaffa turning the boy around. "The symbiotes will heal them." Daniel turned and saw the box Sam had opened was spilling over with Gould symbiotes.

"No!" cried the boy struggling ineffectively to break free from the Jaffa's grasp. "No, you can't!" he cried again loosing all his strength only able the watch as the Goulds slithered along the floor to his wounded friends. "Jack! Sam!" he cried "No!" he tried to turn away as the symbiotes reached Jack first, then Sam and Sarah; curling around their necks before diving in through the back. "NO!" Yelled Daniel as one by one his friends got up eyes glowing. The Jaffa released Daniel and fell down a burning staff blast in his back. Teal'c un-cocked his weapon and stood behind the Jaffa, he handed a fully loaded revolver to a now full-grown Daniel.

"Daniel Jackson you must defend yourself."

"I can't," he cried in anguish. "They're my friends."

"They are your friends no longer; you must survive to avenge them. Defend yourself Daniel Jackson!" Gould Jack advanced on Daniel eyes glowing with the evil that now lived inside him. Daniel raised his weapon; "I can't he-" he sobbed lowering it.

"You must!" Jack raised his hand somehow he'd gotten a hand device the crystal glowed in his palm and he was about to attack. Daniel fired, he didn't even remember rising the weapon, Gould Jack fell where he stood, but Daniel wasn't finished yet he saw Goulds Sam and Sarah take up positions behind Jack and he knew they both had hand devices too.

"I'm sorry," he whispered under his breath and fired. He shot Sam in the head and got Sarah in the heart. No more pain he thought looking down at their glazed faces, for you at least. Daniel fell to his knees exhausted.

Tears rained down from Daniel's closed eyes and Teal'c knew the first trial was over. Daniel slumped where he sat in the circle of candles, but the steady breath told Teal'c he had passed the test.

Teal'c walked to the window where Jack and Sam still sat waiting.

"He sleeps," Teal'c told them. "The first trial is completed." Sam let out a long breath she didn't know she was holding and Jack beamed a smile of relief.

"One, down and two to go." Jack grimaced he didn't think he could take another day of this, let alone two. He'd nearly jumped thorough the window when Daniel had screamed his name. Jack didn't know what his friend was seeing, but a cry like that told him nothing good.

* * *

I want to know, too much angst too little? An suggestions comments questions? You know where that little review button is, go on you know you want to. :-)


	5. Faith

Okay, despite a decidedly lukewarm response to previous chapters I've decided to post a few more to see if things warm up.

And remember "Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone." Gertrude Stein.

* * *

Daniel opened his eyes and for a second he was back in the isolation room with Teal'c watching over him. The candles were glowing merrily around him and he saw Teal'c lips moving words tumbling from his mouth a chant or a pray he didn't have time to question it as his eyes slid shut once more.

"Daaniel, Danny boy wake up." Daniel groaned. "That's it Daniel wake-up."

"Go away," he grunted turning away from the voice.

"Oh, no you don't get up, it's time to go." Daniel turned to where the voice was coming from.

"Go where?"

"Oh come on Daniel you promised." Daniel squinted into the darkness.

"Jack?"

"Who'd you think it was your mother?"

"My mother's dead Jack."

"Now don't start Daniel; just get up." There was some muffed fumbling and a curtain was thrown open, light flooded into the room. Daniel found himself lay in bed as he squinted in the sudden light. Jack handed him his glasses and Daniel threw his feet over the edge of the bed. "Hurry up and get ready we're running late as it is." Daniel frowned at his friend.

"Where is it we're going exactly?"

"Come on Daniel, it's your birthday you promised you'd let me throw you a bash at the lake."

"I did? But my birthday's not until…" Jack thumbed at the wall and sure enough it was July "Oh," said Daniel a little confused "I could have sworn it was still January."

"Just get dressed and ready I'll meet you out in the car."

Daniel was deeply under; his breath came slowly as the quiet mumbling of his dream played out. Teal'c stood and went to the door; he unlocked it and allowed Sam to wheel in a cart of supplies.

"Here, Teal'c" She said a little breathlessly, glancing warily down at Daniel. "How is he?"

"The meditation slows his body and allows him to continue to the next test." Sam nodded.

"Teal'c you don't have to keep the door locked now, we're behind you on this; if you're sure it's the only way to help Daniel."

"I am sure Major Carter." He bowed his head. "Daniel Jackson was quite clear though when we discussed this ritual, he knows you care for him deeply and may inadvertently cause him harm, while trying to help him during his tests."

"We wouldn't do that Teal'c; we just want to be here."

"Would not both you and O'Neill have leapt to his aid during the last vision when he screamed your names?"

"No," said Sam, but they both knew she was lying. "Okay, maybe, but you would have stopped us and now we know what to expect we'll have a little self control."

"I will allow you to remain, but you must know that this is a most arduous test, the test of Faith."

"Wait a minute Teal'c isn't the whole point of this ritual to cast off the religion of the Goulds?"

"Yes, according to the documents Daniel Jackson discovered this ritual was a way to fully be free of false gods, but a person cannot live without faith Major Carter, Daniel Jackson must prove he has faith in something else equally as strong as a god to sustain him."

"I don't think Daniel really has a religion," she frowned, "What else could he have faith in?"

"I do not know Major Carter, but let us hope it is something strong." Sam nodded.

"Jack where are we going?"

"Daniel, I already told you we're going to the lake."

"But this isn't the way to the lake." They were in Jack's Jeep and Daniel saw the last turning for the lake, disappear behind them.

"Oh, we're not going to that lake." said Jack cryptically.

"Which lake are we going to then?"

"To the biggest lake on the planet."

"Oh, you mean the ocean?"

"Funny, it's a little place I know up north, don't worry Sam and Teal'c are coming too; we're going to meet them up there."

"How long is this going to take?"

"Couple of hours." Daniel stared at his friend.

"I still don't remember agreeing to this." Jack smiled slyly, "I didn't, did I? I bet it isn't even my birthday." Jack's smiled widened. "Jack you just took the turn off for the base what's going on?" Daniel was a little panicked now; Jack wasn't usually this devious when kidnapping his friend. "Jack, Jack, slow down, we're going to crash, Jack!"

Jack's face began to blur and twist as a high pitched whistle went off in Daniel's ears.

"Daniel!" The man jumped a mile, sitting bolt up right he hit his head on the bunk above.

"Ow," he grunted leaning forward to rub his head.

"Are you okay? You were screaming like a banshee." Daniel found himself once again squinting in the darkness of what he presumed was a base bunkroom.

"Jack?"

"Who'd you think it was you mom?"

"My mom's dead Jack." Daniel turned himself to sit on the edge of the bed and even in the gloom; he could feel O'Neill's eyes rolling into the back of his head.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, bad dream."

"No kidding, anything you want to talk about?"

"No, its okay I just don't think I'm letting you drive me to the lake anytime soon." Daniel smiled ruefully in the gloom. Jack reached out a hand to his friend and he took it.

"Come on, they need us in the briefing room." Daniel stood and yawned.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Couple of hours."

"Did I miss anything?" Jack smiled as they exited the room.

"Only the end of the world." said Jack stepping into the smoking crater that was once Colorado. Daniel stared at the destruction and that ringing started up in his ear again. For a second he thought he felt a hand on his shoulder, but when he turned to see there was no one.

Teal'c held fast to the struggling figure of Jack O'Neill.

"O'Neill, you must cease these attempts to interfere or I will remove you from the room." Jack went still and Teal'c released him keeping himself between Jack and Daniel.

"I wasn't trying to interfere," complained Jack, "I just wanted to comfort him, Teal'c he was screaming my name what was I supposed to do?"

"You are supposed to do nothing, O'Neill, as I told you and Major Carter when I allowed you into the room, you cannot help Daniel Jackson only be here for him, when he returns to us whole." Jack sighed,

"That was it though, right? He passed the second test?"

"I do not believe so O'Neill, he still dreams." They all turned to Daniel and saw that he was still muttering unconcerned about what had almost happened.

Daniel gasped as the cold water hit him full in the face.

"Wake up!" came the cry he was so used to hearing, he felt for a wall and was able to push himself into a sitting position. "Well," Said the doctor, "Have you thought about what we discussed yesterday?" Daniel squinted myopically at the man shivering in his damp clothes.

"I thought you were supposed to be a doctor. Whatever happened to do no harm?" The doctor laughed or rather barked in amusement and demonstrated his contempt for the Hippocratic Oath. Daniel grunted as the boot impacted his ribs.

"You invaded my planet; I have no cause to be kind to you." He said with another kick. "Now, what does you're god have planned for us?"

"I don't have a god."

"Lies!"

"No, please I really don't, I fell through the Stargate. It was an accident."

"More lies, you were sent from the gods, how else could you have survived?"

"Incredible luck?" his faint smile faded in the wake of another boot to the gut. "Look, if you'd just check out the Stargate, my friends should have come for me by now."

"As I told you we have watchers at the great ring and none have come through besides you. It has been more than eight days why do you still think they will come for you?"

"Because they're my friends." The doctor barked again.

"You're friends have abandoned you, you're alone."

"No they wouldn't do that, my friends will come and I'm going to enjoy watching what they'll do to you."

"You say you're friends have never left you behind?'

"Never," said Daniel leaning back against the wall.

"Not even on Klorel's ship?"

"That was different, I was dying. Hey, how do you know about that?"

"Dreams are most interesting ways of gathering information about a subject." The Doctor barked again. "They left you then, to your death."

"Jack had no choice; they wouldn't have made it dragging me with them and besides it worked out in the end. They wouldn't have left me if there was any other way."

Daniel couldn't stop himself he had to justify this he wouldn't let this maniac shake him, Jack would come and they would take this guy out together.

"Doesn't falling off a cliff count as dying?"

"Only if you die."

"How are they to know that? Perhaps they realize no one could have survived such a fall and just left you for dead."

"They wouldn't do that my friends love me and they'd want to make sure that I was dead before giving up on me."

"What about Machello?"

"What about him?"

"His god killing device, made you insane. You're friends left you then." Daniel stared at him, how could he know that? What had they given him to tell them about that? Daniel shook his head; he couldn't let this doctor get to him he had to hold out until the cavalry came.

"They tried to help me, but they didn't know what was happening."

"They could have kept trying, but they just cast you off as unstable and walked out on you didn't they?"

"No," said Daniel sullenly, "Jack came when I asked for him."

"But he still thought you were crazy even after you were cured."

"Jack came for me and that's what matters," said Daniel trying not to lose his temper.

"But he will not come now, no one will."

"Yes, they will." Daniel was obstinate.

"How long will you hold out hope, for a rescue that will never come?"

"For as long as it takes to come." Spat Daniel. The doctor backhanded the man across the face; Daniel's head jerked back banging against the wall. He leaned forwards and spat blood on to the floor.

"You will never talk of rescue again." The Doctor commanded kicking Daniel in the chest as he crouched on the floor.

Teal'c looked with as much concern as he could upon the face of his friend. Daniel sat still in the circle of candles, blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth and livid bruises were appearing on his chest and stomach. Sam was pale and just sat near Teal'c very still. Jack had left after Teal'c released him but he came back every ten minutes or so to check up. When he walked in this time he'd brought Sam a cup of coffee, which was a good thing, for two reasons, Sam was about to collapse and when he saw Daniel bleeding the only thing that stopped him rushing to his friend was the steaming hot cup in his hand.

"Teal'c" Hissed Jack. He had to do an entire circuit of the room to get to Sam and give her the coffee. "Teal'c." Teal'c raised his head and looked intently at Jack. "What's with that?"

"It's probably a manifestation of something that Daniel is seeing." Carter said taking the coffee gratefully. "He's got bruises too." Jack looked at Daniel and saw what looked like a boot print developing on his left shoulder. "How can you just sit here and let this happen?" Jack glared at Sam. But Sam just shrugged.

"I have to if I interfere he'll definitely die, being here helps me know he's still fighting even if I can't lend a hand in that battle." Jack took a chair next to her and slumped in it. He raked a hand through his grey hair and lent over, towards where Daniel was sitting.

"We're all here for you Daniel." He said clearly and as loud as he dared. "Don't give up, because we need you here with us."

Daniel rolled back against the wall, winded from the latest round of kick the archeologist.

"It's been two weeks Dr. Jackson, do you still believe you're friends are coming?"

"Yes," wheezed Daniel through clenched teeth, ready for the next blow to land. He'd endured this everyday since he woke up from his fever. In his delirium he'd believed they'd come for him and he was home. The doctor quickly corrected this mistaken analysis. Daniel didn't know where he was or how long he'd been out, for all he knew he'd been taken off world. Even in spite of the odds if that were true, Daniel knew that Jack would spend the rest of his life looking for him. That thought kept him going through the doctor's beatings; he knew that Jack was searching for him, that Sam and Teal'c were with him too and eventually they'd find him.

Though part of Daniel knew if he had been taken off world it was a long-shot rescue hope, and he should start planning his own escape. Without a GDO, all Daniel could do was gate to another world, that's assuming he made it to the gate at all. So Daniel was pinning all his hopes on Jack, somehow he knew he was close by, during the last session with the doctor Daniel could have sworn he'd heard Jack's voice, telling him, they were here. But he figured it was just a left over hallucination.

The doctor left with his usual warning and Daniel was left alone to contemplate his situation. The doctor was a strange interrogator thought Daniel not for the first time; he never asked any questions, except to undermine his thoughts of rescue. He seemed to know everything about Daniel and what he'd been through with SG-1, Daniel knew he hadn't been lucid during his illness but he found it hard to believe he had gone into so much detail while asleep. The doctor was trying to break him trying to get him to give up hope, but that would never happen, Daniel knew too much about despair and its effects on the human psyche, he would cling to every shred of hope he could find and never let go of his belief in his friends.

"You are a stubborn, arrogant man!" Barked the doctor punctuating each word with a kick to Daniel's already bruised body. Daniel grunted in pain and when the doctor was done he sat up with his back leaning on the wall squinting in the light.

"So glad you noticed." He said perfectly calm, his voice not betraying a hint of the pain he was in. The doctor kicked him in the head, Daniel saw spots and his nose began to ooze blood, but he didn't move to wipe it, he let it run and stared stoically at his captor. The doctor was turning puce with rage, but instead of taking it out on Daniel he took a deep breath and got himself under control.

"You have won our little battle, my friend." He said a slow smile on his face. "But I will get the last laugh today." He turned and called two guards. "Take him!" he barked at them. Daniel was forced to his feet and then force marched half dragged out of his cell for the first time in two weeks.

"What's going on Doc, tired of me already?" Daniel quipped as he was thrown to the hard ground outside the building.

"Stand up." Growled the doctor; Daniel did as he was told standing carefully so as not to hurt his ribs. The doctor stood back to examine his prisoner more closely. Daniel's hands hung loose at his side as he tried hard not to show them how much pain he was in. His nose had finally stopped bleeding, but his mouth and chin was still covered in blood. It had dripped down his shirt and pants, which were both torn revealing much to Daniel's chagrin the purpling bruises beneath. Over all he didn't look good and despite the determined look on his face, the Doctor believed Daniel was about to fall any second. "I am to give you one last chance Doctor Jackson."

"One last chance to do what?"

"Renounce your friends and I will let you live."

"And if I don't?" The doctor chose show over tell and signaled one of his guards to come forward. He was holding a staff weapon in his hands.

"How will you're friends rescue you if you're dead?" The guard charged the weapon and pointed it dead center at Daniel's chest.

"It's been done before." He said turning to face the guard with a look of total confidence on his face. The doctor looked livid.

"Have it your way Doctor Jackson." He brought up his arm as a signal and turning to face Jackson a look of disbelief on his face he brought the arm down, the guard fired, Daniel knew that much, but just as the blast was about to hit him everything went dark.

Daniel's face was a half covered in blood now, from his nose and mouth; it dripped down his chin and on to his bare and battered chest. The man slumped where he sat and once again Teal'c watched for the slow and steady breath issuing from his mouth.

"Daniel Jackson has triumphed, in the second test." Teal'c allowed optimism if not joy into his voice at this pronouncement. Jack looked up at Teal'c from where he had been watching Daniel closely.

"Test of Faith, huh?" he asked, he voice dripping in distain. "How is it a test of faith to get the crap kicked out of you?"

"It takes a strong conviction to put up with such punishment."

"I know; I wonder what it was." Jack mused.

"Do you really want to know, sir?" Sam yawned downing the last of the day old coffee in her cup.

"What makes you think you know Carter?"

"Because I listened to him sir," Jack raised an eyebrow. "While you and Teal'c went to get something to eat, some of his mumbling became clearer and I could understand what he was saying."

"Well, what was it?"

"Are you sure you want to know sir? It's pretty heavy stuff."

"Just get on with it Carter."

"It's you sir."

"What?" Jack stared at her in shock.

"The thing Daniel has more faith in than anything is his friendship with you."

"You must have heard wrong."

"I don't think so sir. What I heard was 'Jack will come', that was just before that huge bruise appeared on his chest and then he said 'Jack will save me." After that his mouth started to bleed again." Jack went pale. "In his mind I think he's trapped somewhere and his overriding belief is that you will come to save him no matter what." Sam blinked tears from her eyes and gave her commanding officer a small smile. Jack continued to stare, his gaze drifted back to Daniel who sighed quietly in his hunched sleep.

Daniel didn't remember the staff blast storming towards his head, but when he woke up heart pounding in his chest, he figured it had probably been one hell of a nightmare.

"Dan-yell?" questioned the woman in bed beside him. Daniel stared at her in fear and surprise. "What's wrong my Dan-yell have you had a night demon?"

"Shar're?" he stared at her in disbelief. "How, what, where?" he stammered and the beautiful woman giggled.

"Oh, my Dan-yell you have been dreaming." She reached over and cupped his cheek. "We are here in our house and we are safe." She told him as if she'd said this a thousand times. "Now sleep, you must rest for the festival tomorrow father expects you to be at your best."

"What festival?" he asked completely confused.

"Shush," she whispered. "You'll wake the baby."

"Baby!" he cried. She shushed him again but sure enough there was a small cry coming from next to the bed. Shar're got up from the bed and went over to where a small woven basket sat in the corner. She leaned down and pulled out a struggling bundle.

"It's okay, my Shifu, it's okay we're just going to show daddy everything is alright now." She rocked the child in her arms and then handed him gently to Daniel. Daniel held the small bundle in his arms, he looked up at him with wide blue eyes, gurgling and laughing with the rhythm Daniel rocked him. He smiled at the boy.

"Shifu," he frowned, "the Harseus?" Shar're smiled at him again, cupping his face with her hand.

"No, my Dan-yell, Shifu is not Hareseus he is mine and he is yours."

"But how?" she sat on the bed and curled up behind him, her arms wrapping around his waist.

"You saved me from the demon, when she tried to kill you by my hand I managed to stay her fury, long enough for Teal'c to come from behind." She shrugged, "the demon was removed and we came home with our child." She turned his face to hers. "Do you not remember husband?"

"Some of it." He frowned, and softened looking at the child in his arms. "How can he be mine?"

"I was with child when the demon caught me; she stopped the child's growth and would have killed it had it not been for Apophis' plan."

"What plan?"

"To create a Hareseus as his new host."

"Oh, that one."

"But Apophis could not give my demon what was needed for a child." Daniel smiled faintly at this. "So my demon released our child, to grow and be born in the arms of his father." She smiled pecked him on the cheek standing up she took the baby from his arms and replaced it in the bassinet in the corner. "Tomorrow will be one moon since our return and father wants us well rested." She pushed him gently down onto the bed. "Sleep husband, tomorrow you will remember again, but tonight just know that we are safe and we are happy." She kissed him gently on the lips and crawled in bed besides him. Daniel gathered his wife into his arms and smiling fell asleep. What could be better than this?


	6. Utopia

Daniel smiled faintly and then without warning he began to fall backwards on top of the ring of fire that surrounded him. Jack walked in just as his shoulders began to fall. He rushed up behind his friend and caught him before he was covered in hot wax, unable to hold the man for long O'Neill kicked the candles out from under him and laid Daniel back onto the floor. Sam stared in horror at Jack's actions.

"Don't say it Carter, I wasn't about to let him burn himself." Sam's eyes strayed to Daniel he looked quite peace in spite of his uncomfortable position; legs still crossed lay on his back. Jack looked too and Daniel sighed it was small and satisfied. "See he's fine." Jack yawned loudly, "Wow where'd that come from?"

"Do not be alarmed O'Neill, you are merely succumbing to the effects of the Primtak."

"What?" asked Jack getting a little woozy he sunk to his knees. "You drugged me? Why?"

"The last challenge is choice O'Neill, Daniel Jackson trusts you more than anyone if anyone can convince him to choose his life then it will be you." Teal'c bowed his head as Jack sunk to the floor and passed out.

"Jack, Jack come on, time to get up." Jack groaned and rolled over away from the voice. "Come Jack wakey, wakey!"

"Go away," groaned Jack.

"Hey, I told you not to have so much moonshine." Jack sat up and groaned in the brightness of the day.

"This from a guy who has one beer and passes out." Daniel put a hand out for his friend and helped him to his feet.

"Come on, Kasuf wants me to show you the new irrigation system he's designed." Daniel clipped shades to his glasses and they stepped out into the bright dessert daylight.

"So," said Jack, as they walked through the village. "A whole month huh?"

"You were at the celebration Jack."

"How's Shar're?"

"She's great, a little tired maybe, Shifu is teething."

"Shifu?"

"The baby, Jack my son, your god son?"

"Oh, yeah right." Jack yawned and rubbed the back of his head. "So are you happy?" Daniel turned to him a smile of utter contentment of his face.

"I've never felt so happy in my life. I've got everything I've ever wanted right here."

"So you're bored out of your huge over active mind." Jack grinned. Daniel evaded.

"I have chores that keep me busy and Kasuf is training me to be his second after Skaara."

"Chores don't make for a very intellectual pursuit Daniel."

"No, but they make for a good life for Shar're and my son." They paused as a herd of animals was led across the street. "And I don't intend to risk this for anything Jack." Jack nodded.

"Fair enough." They continued up the street to an excavated field, rivulets of water ran in grooves across the ground. Kasuf was chatting wildly to Skaara in Abydonian and Daniel animatedly joined the conversation. Jack was pleased to see his friend was so happy especially after what he'd been through in the passed few years.

O'Neill and Daniel lay side by side inside the circle of candles. Teal'c and Sam had arranged them and re-lit the candles that Jack had knocked over. Teal'c completed the ritual and chanted the words over the two men.

"What do we do now?" asked Sam once they'd finished.

"Now we wait." Said the Jaffa and resumed his position outside the circle, in front of his friend's heads.

Jack knew something was wrong, he couldn't say what exactly but that instinct for danger he had when Daniel was concerned was on over drive. Though looking across the campfire at his friend laughing and talking with his wife and child by his side all he could think about was how happy Daniel looked. Maybe that was it He'd never seen his friend look so happy so content with his life.

Yeah right O'Neill, Jack chided himself, Daniel's happy and that's what's wrong with the world. The realization dawned on him suddenly the flash of Daniel sat in a ring of candles an X on his stomach. Jack looked back over at his friend smiling harder than ever. After a few more minutes Jack got up from the fire and decided to take a walk. He'd only taken a few strides into the darkened desert when he heard footsteps behind him and found Daniel almost in toe.

"Jack," he breathed that contented smile still on his face. "Are you okay?" he looked concerned for his friend. Jack smiled back.

"Daniel I'm fine; go back to your family."

"You're a part of my family Jack." O'Neill stopped and looked back at his friend.

"Let's walk," he said and they made their way across the dunes in the moonlight. After a few minutes in companionable silence Jack turned to his friend.

"How are you Daniel?" Daniel looked at him a little surprised.

"I'm great actually; I finally have everything I've ever wanted." He paused frowning.

"What is it?"

"I keep half expecting to wake-up." He shrugged. "Like this is some dream that I'm having and none of it is real. Part of me thinks it's too perfect."

"And the rest of you?" Daniel smiled.

"The rest of me doesn't really care." Jack flung himself down on the top of the sand dune and looked out at the cool Abydonian desert the lights of the fires in the village barely a glimmer in the distance.

"So this is what you want? To be here with Sha're for the rest of your life?"

"So much it hurts Jack." Jack buried his face in his hands; he had to do it there was no way around it. "Jack?" the worried voice called to him.

"I have to tell you something Daniel. Something that's going to be difficult to hear, but understand I need to tell you the truth and if after that you still want to be here I can't stop you. But know this I will have lost the best friend and teammate I've ever had." Daniel stared at the man not quite comprehending the warning but knowing enough that it was important and so remained quiet waiting for the rest to come.

"You know how you said part of you is expecting to wake up from this like it's a dream?" Daniel nodded. "Well, I wouldn't call a dream really, more of a vision." Daniel's jaw dropped.

"What!" he cried.

"You fell through the gate and got infected by this illness; it turned you into a Jaffa." Daniel's eyes widened and suddenly he broke into a smile. He gave Jack a shove and laugh.

"Good one Jack."

"Daniel I'm serious, Teal'c is performing a ritual on you well I guess it's us now, to help you throw off the change, this is the final test Daniel you have to choose to live."

"You're serious?" Jack's face was a stone wall, but Daniel couldn't help but smile. "You can't be serious Jack does this look like earth to you?" he spread his arms out over the expansive horizon. "Jack are you alright?" he was searching his friend's face now. "You haven't even mentioned Sara and Charlie." Jack froze his face went pale.

"Why would I?"

"Hello? It's not everyday your estranged ex-wife and son come back into your life."

"What!"

"Jack, I was at your wedding last month before I joined Sha're here." Jack now just noticed ring on his finger, you MALP'ed in last week just to tell me Charlie lost another tooth." Daniel smiled again.

"I still want to pinch myself every time I think how good we've got it!"

"We?"

"You, me, Sam and Teal'c," Daniel lay back content. "Teal'c is on Chulak with his family now that the Gould are dead the Jaffa are free. Sam's going nuts over that new lab they got her at the SGC and what's his name James from SG7 that's she's been dating," Daniel leaned forward in a conspiratorial wink. "He's going to pop the question next week, they are so perfect for each other; he's tough but smart and has a few degrees in anthropology and psychology or something." There was that smile again. "Everything's so perfect." he smiled. Jack stared at the man as he closed his eyes in contentment. So this was Daniel's fantasy, not just the perfect life for himself, but for everyone he loved too. Jack couldn't help a smile, as the tears came to his eyes. Daniel looked back at his friend concern showing on his face once more. "Jack?" it was a loaded question.

"I'm okay Daniel," he managed a smile and lay back with his friend to chart the night sky. One more night Jack told himself let him have this for one more night.

Teal'c and Sam were getting worried, Jack had been under for eight hours and Daniel was fading fast. He was showing signs of a burning fever and they both knew that if O'Neill didn't snap them out of this soon Daniel would die.

Sam crawled over to Jack's head and leaned down to his ear,

"Colonel I don't know if you can hear me, but Daniel won't last much longer, he has to get through this now or there won't be much left of him to save." A tear fell from the Major's eye on to Jack's cheek. "Save him for us Jack." She whispered.

Jack sat bolt up right breathing heavily; he felt a warm droplet land on his cheek but when he went to wipe it was dried. He lay back down trying to steady his breathing, but in his angst all he could think of, was message received Major.

"Jack?" Daniel was at the door to his room; they'd walked back to the village after the evening meal and decided to crash. Daniel's face was filled with concern as he hurried to Jack's side. "Bad dream?" Jack peered up at his friend with equal concern,

"No," he said "Just one that's too good to be true." Daniel looked confused. Jack sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He began to walk through the quiet house. He hated to do this, but it was the only way. He paused outside Daniel's room, and they watched while Sha're and the baby slept.

"Let me get this straight. You saved Sha're when Amornet tried to kill you when she hid the child at Kheb?" Daniel nodded, "remind me; how are all the Gould dead?" Daniel looked concerned.

"Jack you know this."

"Humor me." They walked down the hall to what passed at the main living area and both men sat themselves in the cushions arranged there.

"The Tok'ra perfected their poison to only affect mature Goulds and leave the host behind. That made it safe to release in Jaffa populated world's because they only carry lava Goulds."

"Daniel, don't you think that's a little…"

"What?"

"Convenient."

"No, it's a lot lucky."

"And Charlie?"

"What about him?"

"Daniel, you know this Charlie died more than four years ago, he shot himself with my service revolver. That's why I agreed to the original mission to come to Abydos."

"Jack Charlie was in a coma not dead, Sara ran away from you in fear and you blamed yourself, but last year the doctor found a way to wake him and everything turned out okay."

"Again Daniel I'll ask the question, is that a little too perfect?"

"You're being too paranoid Jack why can't you just accept that good things do happen and right now it's our turn?"

"It's not in my nature." Daniel smiled.

"Okay, I'll bite, if none of this has really happened; how I remember it how are things in the reality you live in?"

"Not as good as this," said Jack wanly, "But then how could it be?" Jack sighed. "Shar're died two years ago, Teal'c had to kill her to save your life, the child is with Oma Delsala an ascended being residing on Kheb, he is a Harceus Daniel, he's not your son. Sara and I haven't spoken since that incident with the crystal me, Charlie is dead, but I've dealt with it, mostly. Teal'c lives on the base, his wife is dead, and his son travels with Bra'tac. The Gould are not dead, in our time we've managed to knock the number down a few, but they're still out there. In local news, Sam's still on her loosing streak with men, the last man, and I use that term loosely, she dated, died in a hail of gunfire. And in recent events you fell off a cliff on a remote planet and got infected with a virus, a virus that is killing you. Teal'c found a mediation that's supposed to cure you and you've gone through it. This is the final test Daniel all you have to do is choose to live." Jack took a deep breath and let it out. Daniel blinked slowly and deliberately. "Have you ever heard the phrase, too good to be true, Daniel?" Daniel nodded. "Well you're living in it." Daniel buried his head in his hands.

"How did this happen?" he asked looking up.

"You believe me?"

"Jack you've no reason to lie to me, and I don't think a delusion would go into this much detail."

"This one did." said Jack gesturing to their surroundings.

"Ok, I don't think your delusions would go into that much detail. Besides," Daniel rubbed his tired eyes. "I've been having these nightmares, flashes of memories of things that couldn't have happened here. I knew this was too good to be true, but" he looked wistfully in the direction of his bedroom and Shar're. "I didn't want it to end." Jack saw that his friend had been suddenly defeated by his realization.

"Daniel we have to go."

"Go where? I don't know how to end this."

"I've got an idea, come on let's go." Jack got up to leave, but Daniel hesitated. He walked back in to his bedroom and touched his wife gently.

"Dan-yell?" she yawned confused and groggy.

"I'm going for a walk with Jack okay, I didn't want you to worry."

"Okay, my Dan-yell I will be waiting with your son when you return." She leaned up and kissed him and fell back into a deep sleep. Daniel walked out of the room, tears clearly near the surface.

"Let's go," he mumbled, before leaving the house. Jack followed close on his heels. "Where are we going?" asked Daniel as Jack steered him out of the village.

"Home," he said simply.

They stood in front of the three story high ring and stared at it.

"What now?" Daniel asked; Jack shrugged.

"This is your dream, take us home." Daniel dialed the gate and it engaged, in all its shimmering beauty. He climbed the steps slowly and paused to wait for Jack.

"Let's go home." He said and they both stepped through the gate together.

Teal'c could tell that Sam was exhausted her head bobbed down every few minutes as she fought the sleep she most desperately needed. His face of concern simply steeled her to stay awake longer, waiting for their sleeping teammates to come back to them.

Daniel sat up with a start, his whole body rigid as he gasped for air. His face contorted in pain as he doubled over grabbing his stomach. Jack opened his eyes slowly and glanced over to his friend. Daniel was heaving in pain clutching in gut. Jack tried to sooth his friend, as the pain seemed to flow through him in waves.

"What happen?" cried Sam, her nimble mind already imagining the worst.

"Paradise" Jack whispered hoarsely. After a few moments the convulsions stopped and they were able to roll Daniel on to his back, though his body was still wracked with the bruises of a beating he never received, the split in his stomach was now healed over and all that remained was a faint scar. Daniel coughed back to consciousness and Jack hovered over him. "How's it going there?" Jack smiled, but Daniel just frowned. "Sha're," he muttered and was gone into a real sleep this time.

"Let's get him up on the bed." Jack whispered to Teal'c. Teal'c nodded and lifted his sleeping friend on to the bed nearby.

"What happened sir? We thought you weren't going to make it."

"It was close." said Jack grimly.

"Daniel Jackson didn't want to leave?" questioned Teal'c as he pulled the covers over their friend.

"No," Said Jack, "I didn't want to take it from him." Jack closed his eyes for a moment to find his composure. "We should get Frasier in here to check out those bruises, make sure he's okay." Sam nodded.

"She's been coming in every half hour to check on us."

"How long have I been out?"

"Just over ten hours."

"Wow," he turned to Teal'c. "I can't believe you drugged me!"

"I did not; it was your contact with Daniel Jackson that drew you into his Primtak. I knew that one must join him in the final task, but the book did not say how, when you caught him you were chosen and I knew that was how it worked." Jack scrunched up his face, and turned back to Daniel.

"You didn't warn me."

"That you would see Daniel Jackson's ideal world,"

"That I'd want to leave him there."

* * *

A/N: Feedback is not only appreciated it's throughly enjoyed. Reviews are welcome.


	7. Choice

"This was more than a test of choice O'Neill, it was a test for you also, Daniel Jackson had to choose his real life and as his friend you had to allow him the choice."

Janet gave Daniel a clean bill of health, the bruises were superficial, and there was no internal bleeding.

"You still look like shit though."

"Thanks Jack." Daniel smiled. He turned to the doctor; "Can I go then?"

"I want you to stay on base, for at least another twenty four hours."

"But why? I feel fine, I feel great actually,"

"Just humor me okay?" Daniel relented and Frasier handed him two pills and a glass of water.

"What's this?"

"It's a sedative." Daniel tried to give it back.

"Janet I've been asleep, for the passed three days, I'm not tired."

"Hence, the sedative, your mind needs rest as much as your body and it hasn't slept at all in three days." Daniel sighed and threw the pills into his mouth, chasing them down with the water. "Go to sleep in the VIP room, and go quickly before it starts to effect you." Daniel nodded and Jack helped him down off the gurney, they walked the short distance to one of the VIP rooms and Daniel was out before his head hit the pillow.

Jack couldn't sleep; he was too wired after everything that had happened. He stayed on base, partly to look after Daniel and partly because Frasier didn't know if there might be side effects to the ritual they both took part in. Daniel had been asleep for about four hours and Janet said the sedative would take him 'til morning. She'd offered Jack the same deal, but he refused. Rubbing his eyes with fatigue he tried to figure out why he'd done that.

Unable to settle, Jack decided to go to the gym and try to work himself into exhaustion. When he got there, Jack found he wasn't the only one with that plan.

"Daniel, aren't you supposed to be asleep?" he asked the very conscious man, pounding away at the large workout bag.

"Couldn't." he grunted without pause to his beating of the bag.

"Frasier said that sedative she gave you was supposed to knock you out all night."

"She was wrong."

"Maybe you should go get another."

"Jack what are you doing here?" asked Daniel stopping suddenly.

"I've got energy to burn; I thought I'd burn some."

"I know what you mean," said Daniel grabbing the bar on the weight machine. "I haven't felt this hyper since we were wearing those armbands."

"Daniel."

"What?"

"How much weight is that?"

"I dunno I didn't check."

"Daniel that's two hundred pounds!"

"What!" Daniel cried, dropping the bar he looked around. Sure enough two hundred pounds clattered down to the bottom.

"Do you know what's wrong with him doctor?" asked General Hammond.

"There's nothing wrong, sir." She began tentatively.

"Then why the battery of tests?"

"The problem is he's too healthy sir."

"Too healthy?"

"Yes, he has increased strength and muscle tone, he's got better dexterity, and balance, and though he still needs his glasses his vision has actually improved."

"What could have caused this?"

"I don't know sir it may have something to do with his illness or something else entirely, but that isn't the only problem."

"What is it?"

"He's running on adrenaline sir and can't come down, the sedatives I have don't keep him down for more than an hour, and he can't sleep. He's in pain because of his injuries, but my pain killers don't affect him either, I'm worried that if I can't find a way to get him some rest he's going to crash."

"Do what you can doctor. And report to me any changes."

"Yes sir, but there's very little I can do at this point."

"I know doctor, just do your best."

"Jack, you've gotta get me out of here, I'm going nuts, this room is too small I need space, help me." Daniel paced around the VIP room like a caged animal.

"You heard what the doc said; she wants you to stay put."

"Jack I just need something to do, I need to be doing something can you bring me some stuff from my office?" Jack looked at Daniel pacing shaking his hands by his sides, and got a rude flashback from his sarcophagus addiction.

"Daniel slow down and take a deep breath,"

"Why do people keep telling me to do that?"

"Maybe it's because your face is so red it looks like you're about to pass out." Daniel stopped; he was shaking slightly on the spot.

"I sorry," he said, "I guess I'm tired."

"Get Frasier to give you another sedative."

"They don't work anymore."

"Not at all?"

"Nope."

"I've got an idea." Jack turned and was gone from the room, he returned a few minutes later with Teal'c.

"What's going on?" asked Daniel looking at the two of them.

"Teal'c is going to meditate with you to see if we can bring you back down to earth." Smiled Jack. Daniel sighed.

"Worth a shot."

"I am pleased you are willing Daniel Jackson." Teal'c smiled tightly, the look of concern for his friend not hidden in his deep eyes. Daniel nodded in understanding and a glance at Jack thanked him for this idea. "Please be seated Daniel Jackson and we will begin."

"You seem better." smiled Janet, "Did you get some sleep?"

"Well actually Teal'c showed me, how to Kel nor reem and I feel like I've had a good night's sleep. Look," he smiled holding up his hand, "no more jitters." Janet smiled again, but frowned.

"Daniel, have you slept at all?"

"I don't think I need to. The Kel nor reem worked wonders and I finally feel like myself again and what's more." He held up his shirt. "All my bruises are gone." Janet stared.

"How is that possible?" cried Janet in disbelief.

"It is very possible." came a deep voice from the door.

"Teal'c?" called Daniel. "What's wrong?"

"I have failed you Daniel Jackson." The Jaffa stepped forward into the infirmary.

"What are you talking about Teal'c?" asked Frasier a little worried.

"I believed the Primtak would cure you of the Jaffa illness,"

"And it has." Said Daniel a little confused. "Look, this is me not dead of an infection."

"No it has not, it has taken away your need for a symbiote, but you are still a Jaffa Daniel Jackson."

"How do you figure?"

"I realized this during our kel nor reem together. You reached a point that previously you have never been able and should not be able were you not a Jaffa." Daniel stared at his friend.

"Teal'c it wasn't your fault, I asked you to perform the ritual, I take responsibility for this."

"But had I not assisted: -"

"I'd be dead." The Jaffa lowered his head in understanding.

It took a few days for Daniel to get used to his new status as a Jaffa; Teal'c helped his with the transition, reminding him to kel nor reem because it would be worse than going without sleep as he had done in the past. Jack and Sam were there also every step of the way, though neither really knew what to do to help, Daniel was simply reassured that his friends would stick by him no matter what.

After a week of stand down on top of the time Daniel was ill and missing, SG-1 was itching to get back to work.

"Absolutely not, Colonel!" The General cried.

"Why not? Daniel's fine and Teal'c and Sam are ready to get back out there what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" cried the General in disbelief, "Dr Jackson has been turned into a Jaffa!"

"A Jaffa without a symbiote." Jack pointed out.

"He's still been compromised."

"Compromised, he's Daniel!"

"He's been changed by an unidentified Alien influence, he's tantamount to a National Security threat!"

"National Security my ass, he's still Daniel but with a few added extras."

"Like a symbiote pouch."

"Like increased speed and agility, strength and stamina. Hell he can even read faster."

"There is any number of ways he could have been changed that we can't detect and we need to consider the possibility that Dr Jackson would pose a threat off world."

"Daniel Jackson is a loyal and true member of this facility and team, he would not willingly do harm to anyone here."

"Hey, Teal'c," Jack smiled waving his friend into the General's office.

"O'Neill." He acknowledged with a bow of his head.

"I don't doubt Dr Jackson's loyalty Teal'c, but we don't know what this virus does to a person mentally."

"It does not matter; the primtak removes anything that prevents a person from choosing their own path."

"Like the symbiote?"

"Indeed." Daniel was stood outside the door; he was waiting to see whether the team could get back to work, but without meaning to Daniel was able to hear everything that was said. As much as he hated to admit it the General was right. He, Daniel was a security threat and he never wanted to put his friends in danger on his account.

Daniel remembered Teal'c's lessons in Kel nor reem and how a deep enough trance could touch on the subconscious mind like sleeping for humans. If there were anything, in his mind that would hurt his friends he would find it there. He went back to his room and prepared for Kel nor reem, he lit candles much as Teal'c did enjoying their light and warmth.

He sat cross-legged on the floor. Breathing deeply, he tried to clear his mind. He tried to find that spot in his mind where everything was still.

"Daniel." His eyes flicked open.

"Jack?"

"Wakey, wakey sleeping beauty."

"I wasn't sleeping."

"Yeah, right."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean you are sleeping Daniel."

"Jack don't get all cryptic on me, I haven't had any coffee."

"Here." Said Jack passing Daniel a cup,

"Where'd this come from?" Daniel took a long drink.

"From you."

"Jack what did I say about being cryptic?" Jack sighed.

"Fine, here's the deal, you went into kel nor reem to find out if you've been changed by this illness, besides the obvious."

"Yeah, ok."

"So here you are this is your subconscious and of all the images you could have picked to lead you through this veritable mine field, your mind picked me."

"Ok," said Daniel a little, taken aback. "So what do we do now?"

"Hey, this is your quest Space monkey, not mine."

"Don't call me that."

"Why?"

"Because it's not exactly a favorite memory of mine."

"What this one?" Jack turned around and an image played out before them. Daniel made his way through the crowd in the gate room toward his friends. Jack saw him and a smile stretched across his face.

"Stop." Said Daniel staring at the image and it froze. "That's not the memory I was talking about."

"Oh," said Jack. "You mean this one." The image changed and they watched as Daniel fought off the Jaffa coming down the corridor and then he was hit by a staff blast to the chest. Smoke rising from his chest, they watched as he told Jack to leave him behind. Daniel turned away from the image and it faded from sight.

"You left me to die."

"You told me to leave you."

"There was no other way; I wish you'd stayed though. But that's not why I'm here."

"Fine," said Jack. "Why are you here?" Jack waved his arms and they found themselves back in the isolation room Daniel saw himself laid on the bed with Jack dosing next to him.

"Wait a minute how can I remember this if I'm unconscious?"

"This is your unconscious remember? Just because your eyes are closed doesn't mean the rest of your senses aren't working, this image is extrapolated from what all your other senses are telling your body."

"Wow."

"Hey, I'm you remember?"

"Right. When is this anyway?"

"It's right now."

"Now? Now I'm in Kel nor reem."

"No, Kel nor reem is how you got here."

"But what's wrong with me?"

"Your body fights the change once more."

"What does that mean why?"

"Ok, I'm hypothesizing based on what you know, but don't acknowledge. The last test wasn't finished, Jack interfered in the perfect universe scenario and showed you the way out, but that's not how it's supposed to work. When he woke up, you were saved but not cured, you read the ritual yourself, and it stipulates that anyone performing it will be returned to human form."

"That's right. So what's happening now?"

"You went into a deep Kel nor reem to search your mind, but in that state it left you vulnerable to the last of the Primtak essence left in your system. Jack found you in your room and couldn't wake you; they brought you here for observation." Daniel walked around to the side of his own bed. He looked at Jack fidgeting in the chair.

"So how do I wake up?" He looked up at the Jack stood by the wall.

"The last test was choice; all you have to do is make the right one."

"The right choice?"

"Yes,"

"And this is a choice between what?"

"Living and dying."

"Fine I choose to live." Jack shook his head,

"It's not that easy."

"I didn't think so."

"This is the kind of choice, you've made before it's not that hard." said Jack.

"When have I made this choice before?"

"That time on Klorel's ship. It was your choice to stay behind, Jack would have done everything in his power to take you with them if you asked him, but you chose what was best for the team."

"How is this like that?"

"Each time you die it has a profound effect on the team they pull together to support each other, but when you come back they pull around you."

"Is that bad?"

"Hear me out. If you died and stayed dead, Jack and Sam would pull together to finally admit their feelings for one another, Sam would give up her military career in favor of coming back as a civilian consultant." Daniel frowned

"Jack and Sam?"

"Don't ask me this is how your mind has decided your friends will react to your death. They get married and have a son, named Daniel." Jack rolled his eyes at that, "and Teal'c will be his godfather. They will revere your name in private until the Stargate is finally made public. You'll be an American hero, the man who opened up the stars to us and died trying to defend the planet. Your name will be blazed across the history books and there'll be Daniel Jackson middle's schools popping up across the country." Daniel smiled and then moved away from the bed.

"But are they happy?"

"What? Oh, the happy thing, well happiness is relative isn't it? Sufficed to say they get their share."

"But what happens if I wake up?"

"Er," Jack frowned. "There's not much data to go on." He said. "Apparently your subconscious spends it's time thinking of elaborate scenarios, where your friends are all happy once you're dead." He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "That's got me a bit worried actually," then he shook his head. "Anyway the nearest I can tell if you wake up, you'll deal, add another nightmare to the growing pile in the corner, that cliff was a dozy, and things will go on as they always have. Sam and Jack will skirt around each other, until one of them decides to get a life, I vote for Sam. You and Teal'c will have a lot of discussions about what went wrong with the ritual and the future will be made as we go along."

"But will they be happy?"

"There's that happy thing again, and remember this is only what you know. In the near, near future, everyone is happy, that you're alive. In near future Jack is guilty that he distracted you on the ramp when you fell. Teal'c is guilty that he agreed to do the ritual; Sam is guilty, because she couldn't do anything to help and you feel guilty for being such a pain in the ass all the time. There are a lot of tough times ahead, but with each other to depend on, you'll get through, and closet optimist that you are still believes that in the end, you'll all get the happiness that you deserve."

"So basically, things will turn out right either way?"

"Yes."

"What do you think I should do?"

"That's cheating I'm only here to give you the options, the choice is up to you. I will ask you a question though, is this how you wanted to die?"

"No, but I never really get a choice in the matter."

"You have the choice now." He said stepping out of the way of Sam and Teal'c.

"Any change?" asked Sam putting her hand on Jack's shoulder.

"No," said Jack. "Janet said he's just fading away."

"Daniel's strong, he'll make it."

"It's close Carter, I'm tired of feeling so useless. Every time I'm in this situation, I swear it's the last time, but something happens and," he gestured emphatically to the man lying in the bed.

"We'll get through this." She said quietly calming him with her hand.

"Come on Daniel wake up!" Jack shook the bed violently. "I'm sorry I distracted you on the ramp." He said. Daniel in the corner jumped.

"You are not to blame O'Neill, I believe this to have something to do with the Primtak; I must have performed it inadequately."

"No, Teal'c." said Sam. "At least you did something; I barely kept myself together let alone find a way to help. Besides Janet said it worked, Daniel is completely human again, even the pouch scar is gone."

"Damn," said Daniel "I know these people way too well." Subconscious Jack just nodded.

"You have the answer." And with that he was gone. Daniel stared at the empty space and then looked back over his friends, they were still arguing over whose fault it was and who should take the blame for Daniel's plight. Daniel smiled and knew he couldn't leave them. Not yet, anyway.

Daniel felt as though he'd been hit in the head with a frying pan, all his senses were on over load the light hurt, the sound hurt, even his skin hurt. The first words he heard were:

"Daniel's my friend too don't you think I'd like to help him as much as you do? Damn it Carter we all feel helpless it just goes with the territory."

"Hey, Jack," Daniel's voice was low and hoarse, but he was heard, Jack spun in surprise, looking down at his friend.

"Daniel!" cried Carter, the best expression of surprise and relief on her face.

"You guys want to keep it down; you're loud enough to wake the dead." He smiled wanly; it was worth a dry mouth to see the looks on their faces when he said that.

"Carter, get Frasier." Barked Jack instantly back to himself, Sam left with an 'I'll be right back' and Jack turned to look down on Daniel again. "You gave us quite a scare there Danny boy." Said Jack with a wide grin.

"Jack, I" but that was as far as he got before his voice gave out, all her could do was mouth water and Jack nodded. He pulled a plastic cup from a unit out of sight, Jack fed the straw into Daniel's mouth and he took a drink.

"Better?" asked Jack.

"Much."

"Are you going to be okay for a minute? I'm going to go see where Sam's got to." Daniel nodded and Jack got up to go, but Daniel grabbed his arm. "What is it?" asked Jack turning back to him.

"Thank you," said Daniel with a smile of his own.

"For what?" Jack asked.

"For helping me make the right choice." Daniel smiled and Jack went off in search of the doctor.

Epilogue

Diary of Daniel Jackson

_It's been over a month since I woke up from the last test of the Primtak, being human again is harder to adjust to once you've felt the power of the Jaffa, but all in all I'm glad to be me._

_I haven't told Jack about my dreams, he barely remembers Abydos. I don't want to burden him, it's just too much pressure to tell him he's the one person I have faith in more than anything in the world. I think he already knows some of it._

_Things are definitely back to normal; Jack is calling me we have a mission briefing in ten minutes and I have to collect my notes, but I'm tired because I didn't sleep last night._

_Subconscious Jack was right I do have a new nightmare, and that cliff was a hell of a fall, but what I see now, is my Sha're and our son sitting in our house on Abydos waiting for me to come back from my walk with Jack. They're waiting and I'm never going to come home._


End file.
